Ergonomic Interventions & Solutions Flashcards
7 cards from real CPE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Ergonomic Interventions & Solutions flashcards as text
A healthcare ergonomist is addressing safe patient handling. Which technology provides the highest level of protection against caregiver musculoskeletal injury during patient transfers?
Answer: Full-body ceiling-mounted mechanical lift system
Ceiling-mounted mechanical lifts eliminate manual lifting forces almost entirely and are consistently associated with the greatest reductions in caregiver injury rates in evidence-based safe patient handling programs.
An ergonomist is tasked with reducing musculoskeletal risk in a dental clinic. Which workstation modification would most directly reduce neck flexion in the dentist?
Answer: Using an adjustable dental loupe with appropriate declination angle and working distance
Properly fitted loupes with the correct declination angle allow the dentist to maintain a more neutral cervical posture rather than bending the neck forward to see the operative field.
A workstation redesign eliminates awkward posture but increases the force required for the task. From a CPE perspective, this outcome is best described as:
Answer: A trade-off that must be further assessed, as force is an independent injury risk factor
Ergonomic interventions must address all relevant risk factors; trading posture improvement for increased force can shift the injury mechanism without reducing overall risk.
Which of the following best illustrates the principle of 'fitting the task to the worker' in ergonomic intervention design?
Answer: Designing adjustable-height workstations with a range accommodating the 5th to 95th percentile user population
Designing for the 5th–95th percentile range ensures the work environment accommodates the diversity of the workforce rather than requiring workers to adapt to a fixed environment.
A pinch-grip screwdriving task is linked to elevated rates of lateral epicondylitis. The most appropriate tool intervention is to:
Answer: Replace the manual screwdriver with a power screwdriver featuring an in-line or pistol grip
A powered screwdriver with an ergonomic grip eliminates repetitive forearm rotation and high grip forces that drive lateral epicondylitis in manual screwdriving tasks.
A telecommuter reports neck and shoulder pain during video calls. Which single intervention is most likely to provide immediate relief?
Answer: Raise the laptop screen to eye level using a stand and add an external keyboard and mouse
Raising the screen to eye level eliminates neck flexion caused by looking down at a laptop, while an external keyboard maintains neutral wrist posture — addressing the primary postural risk factors.
In an intervention program targeting repetitive strain injuries, micro-break software that prompts rest pauses every 20–30 minutes is classified under which control category?
Answer: Administrative control
Software-prompted rest breaks modify work organization and scheduling, which are administrative strategies rather than physical changes to tools, equipment, or the work environment.